Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has slammed the BJP-led Union government’s policies for farmers, saying while it waived the loans of big corporates, nothing has been done for the struggling agrarian community, which is neck deep in debt.
Speaking after inaugurating the new building of the Farmers’ Cooperative Bank at Mananthavady here on Friday, Mr. Gandhi also attacked the ruling Left Democratic Front in the State, alleging that it had no strategy to protect crops from wild animals and no steps had been taken to address the issue of man-animal conflict in the high ranges of the State. Farmers and agriculture were neglected and the farmers were pushed from all sides.
Urging the governments to protect the farmers and agriculture, he said: “Large businesses take loans, default and their loans are forgiven.” On the other hand, when farmers defaulted on small loans, they were held accountable. He wondered how thousands of farmers were sent notices under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest (SARFAESI) Act. “Why this difference in treatment?”
